Registering web feed for wrapping machines



Dec. 18, 1934. J NEUMA|R 1,984,804

REGISTERING WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. '27, 1953 5Sheets- Sheet l H )MZW 7 13 3 AORNEY Dec. 18, 1934. J. A. NEUMAIRREGISTERING WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 27. 1933 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Dec."18, 1934. a A. NEUMAIR' 1,984,804

REGISTERING WEB FEED FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 27. 1933 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES REGISTERING WEB FEEDFOE WRAPPING MACHINES Joseph A. Neumair, Hollis, N. Y., assignor toInternational Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New JerseyApplication October 27, 1933, Serial No. 695,527 5 Claims. (Cl. 164-48)This invention relates to an improvement in wrapping machines, moreparticularly to the web-feeding mechanism thereof, and its main objectis to provide an auxiliary web-feeding device for drawing the wrappingmaterial into proper relation to the cut-off position, in order toovercome mechanical variations of the main feed mechanism and also tocompensate for any discrepancies in spacing of the registering marks,which are placed on the web at equidistant intervals thereon, that mayhave occurred in preparing the web or which may be due to splicing orsubsequent shrinkage or stretch of the web material. With this and otherobjects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists incertain constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described andthen specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention, as disclosed herein, has useful application to thewrapping and banding machine described in my co-pending patentapplication S. N. 629,959, filed August 22, 1932, and the drawings havetherefore been so made as to show it in combination with said machine,reference being made to the disclosure ofsaid application for a completedescription of the details of the main feed mechanism.

The device however is not limited in usefulness as an adjunct to anyparticular wrapping machine and it can also be operated as a separateunit, where it is desired to cutoff predetermined lengths of printed webmaterial, such as labels or the like, as it is being unwound from areel.

In the present invention it is assumed that the wrapping material or webhas been prepared with index or registering marks placed at fixed evenspaces along the length of the web. These spaces represent the lengthsof sections required for wrapping a certain commodity, and as it may bedesirable to expose certain advertising matter printed on the wrappingmaterial, it is often important that this be placed uniformly so as tooccupy a balanced and attractive position on the wrapped article.

The operation of the auxiliary web-feeding device accomplishes thispurpose as it is actuated by the index marks for timing its operationand these marks always occupy a fixed relation to the printed matter.The principal advantage of the auxiliary web-feeding mechanism, whichmay also be termeda registering or adjusting device, is that while itdoes not guarantee positive accuracy in lengths of sections, it preventserrors from accumulating so that an error in location of one index markwill be compensated for at the next.

The obj ect' of the present invention-is achieved by combining thecircuit of a light-sensitive bridge" or photo-electric cell,

placed in lightreceiving position in respect to registering marks onthe-web, with an velectro-magnetic clutch in such a manner that thedrive of the auxiliary web-feeding mechanism is disconnected onreceiving a photo-electric impulse. At the instant of release of theclutch the auxiliary feed has advanced the leading end of the web acertain distance beyond the cut-off posi-- tion and, while the main feedis operating, the transfer fingers thereof move up into position to gripthe protruding end of the web and proceed to pull-oil an amount of webas predetermined by the setting of the main feed mechanism. When thefeed has reached the end of its stroke, the web is cut to the requiredlength. This length of severed web is equal to the length of stroke ofthe main feed mechanism plus the amount of advance of the web producedby the auxiliary web-feeding device, beyond the cutoff position.

In' the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specificationand in which like characters of reference indicate the same or likeparts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the web-feed from the reel to thecut-off knives;

Fig. 2 is a sectional end view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation showing the operating parts of theadjusting device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional end view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a schematic layout of wiring diagram;

Figs. '1 to 11 are schematic views showing the operation of theregistering device during different stages of transfer of web materialfrom reel to wrapping mechanism.

In carrying the invention into efiect there is provided a web-severingknife, a main webfeeding mechanism, and'an auxiliary web-feedingdevicefor periodically presenting the leading' end of the web in properlydisposed relation to the-knife, whereby cumulative errors in the feed ofthe web are avoided. In the best constructions contemplated said deviceincludes a reciprocable slide, coacting grippers on the slide foradvancing the web, means for reciprocating the slide includinganelectromagnetically controlled clutch, a photoelectric cell, a sourceof light arranged to throw a beam of light onto the cell, and anelectric circuit connecting said cell and clutch, whereby theobstruction of the beam oflight by an opaque index mark on the web willdisengage the clutch to stop the web in properly disposed various meansand parts may be widely varied in construction within the scope of theclaims for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention isbutone of many possible conrelation to the knife. Thesecrete embodimentsof the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to thespecific construction shown and described.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of thedrawings,

bracket 11 is attached to the frame of the combined wrapping and bandingmachine, and contains the main feed mechanism. 'To bracket 11 isattached bracket 12 which provides support for the secondary feed, thephotoelectric cell unit and, by means of bracket 13, for the reel R andthe reel drive.

Drive shaft 14 by means of gears 15, 16, and 17 drives shaft 18. Bevelgear on shaft 18 meshes with bevel gear 71 on shaft 72, the upper end ofwhich carries a friction wheel 73. Wheel 73 engages friction disk 74 onshaft which drives shaft 76 through a pair of gears 77 and 78. Shafts 75and 76 also carry drive rollers 79 and 80.

The web material W is threaded from reel R- over a guide roller 81,drive rollers and 79, tension take-up roller 82 and guide roller 83through the photoelectric cell 5, which forms a part of the auxiliaryfeed comprising gripper fingers 43 and 44 on slide 42.

The unwinding of web material is continuous except when tension take-uproller 82 reaches the limit of downward motion, thus releasing thetension and friction of the web on drive rollers 79 and 80. As the webmaterial is carried off by the main feed mechanism, the tension roller82 is raised, thus restoring the friction necessary for drive rollers'79 and 80 to operate.

On shaft 18 is mounted a disk cam 19. Cam lever 20 on shaft 21 engagescam 19 and thus actuates the gear segment of lever 22 which meshes withgear 23 fixed to shaft 24. Lever 27 is also attached to shaft 24. Aroller 26 ad-- justably secured to lever 27 engages slot 28 of lever 29loosely mounted on shaft 21. A. gear sector 30 attached to lever 29engages gear segment 31 on shaft 32 to which is also attached gear 33.Gear 33 engages a rack fixed to slide 34 on which are mounted the firsttransfer fingers 50 and 51, which are actuated to grip and release theweb by means disclosed in my co-pending application referred to above.

As drive shaft 18 rotates it turns cam 19 which imparts a swingingmotion to lever 20 and, through shaft 21, a corresponding motion tolever 22. The gear segment of lever 22 causes oscillation of gear 32and, through shaft 24, a corresponding swinging motion of lever 27. Aslever 27 oscillates, roller 26 which is constrained to travel in slot 28of lever 29, imparts a swinging motion to lever 29 and gear sector 30,which in turn, oscillates gear 31 and, through shaft 32 produces acorresponding oscillation of gear 33. Oscillation of gear 33, whichengages a rack on slide 34, imparts a straight line reciprocating motionto the slide on which are mounted the first transfer fingers, 50 and 51.

A second transfer slide (not'shown) carrying gripper fingers 52 and 53,picks up the web, as the slide 34 completes its forward stroke, and,after the web has been cut by knives 54 and 55, draws the severedsection over the article to be wrapped. Reference may be had to mycopending application referred to above for a complete disclosure ofmechanism for actuating the fingers 5051 and 52-53 to grip and releasethe wrapper. One half turn of cam 19 produces a motion through leversand gears in one direction and the other half turn reverses recesses thedirection throughout the mechanism. The straight line motion imparted tofirst transfer slide 34 brings the first transfer fingers 50 and 51 upinto position to grip the protruding end of the Webas shown in Fig. 8.During part of the approach of the first transfer slide the auxilaryweb-feed, actuated by lever 22, Fig. 4, through connecting rod 35 andcam 36 bearing on roller 37, causes clutch member 33 to rotate andthrough clutch disc 39 and connecting rod 49, bell crank lever 41advances slide 42 with the gripper fingers 43 and 44 which hold the endof the web W, thus causing the leading end of the web to be pushedforward beyond the established cut-off position, the slide 42 beingreciprocably mounted in a bracket carried by the. guides of the slide34.

The swinging motion of lever 22, Figs. 4 and v 5, through connecting rod35 and cam 36, which contacts on roller 37 on the clutch member 38oscillates the latter. Tension spring 380. urges the roller 37 againstthe cam 36 and normally maintains the pin 38?) on clutch member 38against one end of the slot 39a. in clutch disk 39. Clutch disk 39 isyieldingly pressed into engagement with clutch member 38 and thereby,through connecting rod 40 and bell crank lever 41, transmits ahorizontal sliding motion to slide 42. Fingers 43 and 44 on slide 42,Fig. 7, hav

ing gripped the web W just before the last out was made, advance the endof web W between the open knives 54 and 55, Fig. 8, a distance equal tothe space between index mark M on the web and slot 56 in thephotoelectric cell unit. On the return swing of lever 22, the magnet 45having released clutch disk 39, as will be here-- inafter described, theslide 42 returns as cam 36 retreats and allows clutch member 38 to fol--low the movement of the cam under the action. of spring 38a, therebyalso turning the clutch disk 39 through action of pin 38b in slot 39a.

When the index mark M on web W passes over the narrow slot 56, Figs. 1and 3, which is the only space through which light from the incandescentlamp 6 can reach the photoelectric cell 5, the light source is cut offfrom the light sensitive bridge. This results in a. momentary impulse inthe circuit of electo-magnet 45, energizing it and causing it to attractthe armature or clutch disk 39, releasing it from clutch member 38 andthus arresting the movement of the auxiliary web-feed.

As clutch disc 39 is attracted by magnet 45, push rod 59, Fig. 5, whichis spring-pressed into engagement with the clutch disc 39, through lever60 establishes contact between contact spring 61 and post 62, therebyclosing an independent circuit through contact maker 63, which iscontrolled by cam 64 on drive shaft 14. Contact maker 63 thusestablishes a second cir cuit through electro-magnet 45, which insuresthat the magnetization of armature 39 will be unaffected by any impulsesof the photo-electriccircuit during the rest period of the web. In orderto take care of wrapping material of lengths and widths varying fordifferent size articles, the photoelectric cell unit is slidably mountedon bracket 12 and provided with screw" adjustments, in two directions,for close setting.

From the above described action of the photoelectric cell, it will beseen that the amount of movement of web W, due to the action of theauxiliary feed, is dependent on the distance of index mark M from slot56 at the time in the last out was made.

Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive show progressive stages in the operation of thephotoelectric cell and the main and auxiliary web-feeding mechanism.

Fig. 7 shows the gripper fingers 52 and 53 after they have gripped thecut-off section W of the web pulling it away while the transfer fingers50 and 51 in separated position, are returning to grip the end of thenext section W1 which, in the meantime, is being advanced into positionbetween the knives 54 and 55 by the auxiliary feed. Fig. 8 showstransfer fingers 50 and 51 after they have gripped the protrudin end ofthe web W1 ready to pull away as fingers 43 and 44 of slide 42 releasetheir grip. The finger 44 is pivoted on slide 42 and carries a lever Mewhich is connected by a tension spring 43a to the finger 43, whereby theweb is gripped between the fingers 43 and 44 and the engagement of thelever 44a with a stationary abutment, not shown, will cause the fingersto release the web. Fig. 9 shows this section of web W2 which will beadvanced similarly as shown cal in Figs. 8 and 10. In Fig. 8 the end ofW1 is shown protruding further beyond the cut-off position than is thecase of web W2 in Fig. 10.

This condition results from index mark M in Fig. 7 being a greaterdistance away from the photo-electric cell, at the instant the web wasout, than is the case in Fig. 9.

As the advance of web, due to the auxiliary feed, is equal to thisdistance, plus a constant amount of overtravel, there will be adifference in the amount of advance of webs W1 and W2 in the two casesand, as the transfer stroke is constant, the fingers 50 and 51 of thefirst transfer will grip the web a greater distance in from the end inthe case shown in Fig. 8 than they will in the case shown in Fig. 10 andthe result will be, as shown in Fig. 9, a longer cut-off section W1 thansection W2 as shown in Fig. 11.

As before mentioned this variation in lengths,

which would ordinarily be very small, would,

only result in a slight diflerence in lengths of web material extendingbeyond the ends of the article to be wrapped, as the location of thelabel, or other printed matter would always occupy a fixed relation withreference to the index mark M and the action of the auxiliary web feedis controlled by the location of this merit.

A wiring diagram, showing the photo -eell and clutch control circuits,is indicated in Fig. 6.

The photoelectric cell circuit consists of a step-down transformerhaving its primary connected to a source of alternating current; arectifier tube 2 connected to the secondary of the transformer and alsoconnected to the plate circuit of the amplifier tube 7; a filter systemconsisting of condensers 3 connected across the plate circuit to flattenout the intermittent pulsating current delivered thereto by therectifier; voltage divider (4) photo-cell (5); light source (6)containing a suitable optical system; amplifier tube (7); and relay (3)connected in the plate circuit of the tube '7. It will be noted that thefilament or" the tube 7 and the light source 6 are connected tosecondary windings of the transformer.

The clutch control circuit consists of a D. C.

current supply (9); contacts (10) on relay (8); timer (63); clutchmagnet (45); and armature (39) for operating the clutch and holding incontacts 61 and 62.

As the opaque index mark M on the cellophane wrapping material W passesover slot 56 and obstructs the light beam from the light source 6 to thephoto-cell 5, which is connected to the grid circuit of the tube 7, acurrent is permitted to flow through the cell, thereby amplifying thecurrent flowing in the plate circuit through relay coils 8 and closingthe contacts 10.

The timer 63, being so adjusted that its contacts have been closed justprior to index mark M on web W reaching the slot 56, completes thecircuit through clutch magnet 45, disengaging the clutch of theauxiliary feed by pulling the armature 39 against the poles of themagnet, thus preventing any further advance of the web. This movementalso closes contacts 61 and 62 thereby holding the clutch in adisengaged position until it is released as the current is broken by theopening of timer contacts 63.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a main web-feedingmechanism, of a photoelectrically controlled auxiliary web-feeding de-.vice for periodically presenting the leading end of the web of wrappingmaterial to said mechanism, whereby cumulative errors in the feed of theweb are. avoided.

2. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a web-severing knife, ofa main web-feeding, mechanism, and a photoelectrically controlledauxiliary web-feeding device for periodically presenting the leading endof the web of wrapping material to said mechanism in properly disposedrelation to the knife, whereby cumulative errors in the feed .of the webare avoided.

3. In a wrapping machine the combination with a web-severing knife, of amain web-feeding mechanism, and a photoelectrically con trolledauxiliary web-feeding device for periodically presenting the leading endof the web of wrapping material to said mechanism in properly disposedrelation to the knife, whereby cumulative errors in the fad of the webare avoided, said device including a reciprocable slide, coactinggrippers on said slide, means for reciprocating said slide including anelectromagnetically controlled clutch, a photoelectric cell, a source oflight arranged to throw a beam of light onto said cell, and an electriccircuit connecting said cell and clutch, whereby the obstruction of thebeam of light by an opaque index mark on the web of wrapping materialwill disengage said clutch to step the web in properly disposed relationto the a knife.

4. The combination with a main web-feeding mechanism, of an auxiliaryweb-feeding device for periodically presenting the leading and of the

